Stand-up comic set for release after being convicted of insulting Erdoğan
Turkish comedian Deniz Göktaş has been sentenced to almost 19 months, but is set to be released due to time served.
Stand-up comic due for release after conviction for insulting Erdoğan
The comedian’s supporters gathered outside an Istanbul courthouse on Monday holding signs that read “Deniz Göktaş not alone.”
An Istanbul court has found a well-known comedian guilty of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and sentenced him to nearly 19 months in prison, but ordered his release because of time already served.
He has also been given a travel ban, barring him from leaving Turkey.
The case will now go to the court of appeals for a final ruling.
Deniz Göktaş, who denied the accusations, has already spent almost 90 days behind bars. Prosecutors had sought a sentence of up to 12 years. His case comes amid a wave of arrests in Turkey that human rights groups say is intended to suppress dissent.
His stand-up performance went viral on YouTube, drawing more than 15 million views.
Prosecutors focused on one line in which the comedian described the Turkish leader as “a shy dictator,” but Göktaş maintained there was “no criminal element” in what he said.
“Dictator is not an insult,” he said. “It is a political characterisation.”
But upsetting the president in Turkey is no laughing matter. Göktaş was arrested and handcuffed at Istanbul airport in July when he returned from a holiday.
At his court hearing on Monday, it was evident he had not lost his sense of humour during his 88 days in solitary confinement.
“Three months have been taken away from my life,” he said from the stand. “But I quit smoking, so I’ll add another three months to my life.” The remark prompted laughter and loud applause in court.
Outside, supporters such as Firat Aksal, a fellow comedian, were pleasantly surprised by the verdict.
“We hardly know what to do with our happiness,” he said. “We are thrilled. To be honest we weren’t hopeful of getting a fair trial.”
He said Göktaş would now rest for a few days, see his family, and then return to the stage.
The comic is expected to be freed in the coming hours, but many others remain in prison, including journalists, human rights campaigners, student protesters, LGBTQ activists, and the elected Mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu. Prisons are full in Turkey these days.